SOURCE: Ausaf, Ummat, Daily Pak, Nawa-i-Waqt, Urdu Point, Daily Jinnah, Awami Awaz, Daily Dharti, Jasarat, Kawish, Daily Intekhab, Daily Times, Jang, Ibrat, Khabrain, Roznama Dunya, Hizb Media, Al Qalam Weekly, Baad-e-Shimal, Bang-e-Sahar.
UNITED STATES
1. The US has appreciated Pakistan’s plan for effective management of Torkham border gate. Afghanistan too should cooperate with Pakistan in this regard. Kabul’s aggressive attitude is only because of the fact that India is using Afghanistan to create anarchy in Pakistan and to sabotage the CPEC. Both RAW and KHAD are involved in terror acts in Pakistan and the US. The issue should be discussed with both the nations in order to control terrorism. (Daily Pak Edit, Nawa-i-Waqt Edit)
AFGHANISTAN
1. The Chief of Hezb-i-Islami, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has asked the people of Afghanistan to start a peaceful movement against the presence of the US occasion of Eid. President Ashraf Ghani should demand that the US should come forward to negotiate with the rebel groups in Afghanistan. (Ummat)
2. Afghanistan has prepared more than 100 militants to attack Pakistan. These militants have the support of the Afghanistan National Army and the Afghanistan government. A group by the name of Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, with 80 to 100 militants, has been groomed to target Pakistan’s key places and security camps. This group is headed by Saif al Rehman and Kher al Rehman. The security is tightened across Pakistan following this alert. (Awami Awaz)
INDIA
1. The former Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz says Kashmir issue had almost come to be resolved but sadly the party with which the talks were held did not remain in power. The current government in Pakistan is trying to find a way out from a very complicated scenario. He added that the UK played a big role behind the curtain on the Kashmir issue. (Awami Awaz)
ARMY/SECURITY FORCES
1. The federal government has expanded the jurisdiction of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to the Khyber Agency. FIA has been asked to set up seven check posts in different areas of Khyber Agency. Already, the FIA has established its check post at the Torkham border and deployed its staff. (Jasarat)
TERRORISM & EXTREMISM
1. A TTP commander, Noor Muhammad, was arrested from Buner and the security forces have recovered three suicide jackets from him. Noor has planned to carry out destructive activities on the occasion of Eid. (Ummat)
2. Militants exchanged fire with the police at two places in Mustang area of Balochistan Two police officials and one security force official were killed and six security officials were injured. The militants however escaped. (Kawish).
PAK SCENE- ECONOMY/POWER
1. The power shortfall has reached a historic high at 8700 Megawatt. Against the demand of 21000 MW, the power supply is just 13000 MW resulting in a shortfall of about 8000 MW. There is no power in the interiors for the entire day while cities face a 10 hour power cut. The commercial and industrial users are also deprived of power for 13 hours every day. (Awami Awaz)
POLITICAL SCENE
1. Kawish and Awami Awaz have editorially taken to task the chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) for reviving the demand to build Kalabagh dam. Punjab is clinging to the Kalabagh dam idea though the remaining three provinces have outright rejected the proposal. Someone or the other in Punjab keeps raising the demand and thus keeps the issue alive. This time around WAPDA Chairman advocated Kalabagh dam in a TV interview. Immediately, PPP has kicked up a row in the National Assembly. PPP leader Khursheed Shah has cautioned that such statements are against federalism. He asked the WAPDA Chief to refrain from making controversial statements since he is a government employee. Khursheed Shah felt that the government was trying to distract the attention from other the major problems like long power cuts. (Kawish Edit, Awami Awaz Edit)
2. Ausaf editorially commended the government’s call from the UN floor to stop the drone attacks. (Ausaf Edit)
KP/NWFP
1. Federal Minister Lt. Gen. Abdul Qader Baloch said there are more illegal refugees than legal refugees in Pakistan at the moment. Constitutional means will be used to deal with this matter. (Ausaf)
2. Pashtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party has reacted to the criticism of the organisation of the ex-servicemen against its chief Mehmood Khan Achakzai’s comment on the Afghan refugee issue. Drawing of the Durand Line separated the Pashtuns from Afghanistan. Even today they are Afghans. In a dig at the Armed Forces, the statement said that the former army men are directly involved in the violation and abrogation of the Constitution in Pakistan. (Daily Intekhab)
SINDH
1. The Rangers in Sindh have directed that MQM offices built on government lands should be razed to ground. (Awami Awaz)
2. The Rangers stated that the offices of political parties and militant outfits in government departments should be shut down. Every government department should ensure that any office by political or militant outfit is shut down or else a legal action will be taken. Any employee recruited through the influence of such outfits must be dismissed immediately. People should inform the Rangers about any such political and militant offices. (Ibrat)
3. The Chief of the Pakistan Sarzameen Party (PSP), Mustafa Kamal, says there is RAW’s hand in the lawlessness in Karachi. “I know this”, he adds. Kamal, who is a former administrator of Karachi for the MQM, claimed that Indian Agency RAW is operating in the city. If the MQM claims that some external force is behind the deterioration of the law and order in Karachi then it should name that force. (Daily Intekhab)
POK/G-B NEWS
1. PPP Senator Saeed Ghani has alleged that the federal government is trying to highjack the Azad Jammu and Kashmir election like it did during elections in Gilgit Baltistan. If the federal government rigs the polls then the PPP will react strongly. (Ausaf)